Carpet washing machine



Filed March 16, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheal l Im i mi@ JOS. hom/)50H 'ATTORNEY Sept. 13, 1938.

J. s. THQMPSON CARPET WASHING MACHINE Filed March 16, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 F-IE E INVENTOR. M05. 5. 7/70/77/050/7 ATTORNEY.

Sept. 13, 1938. J. s. THOMPSON CARPET WASHING MACHINE Filed March 16, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY J. s. THOMPSON 2,129,797

CARPET WASHING MACHINE Filed March 16, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Sept. 13, 1938.

ATI'ORNEY Patented Sept. 13, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I e I 2,129,797 f CARPET WASHING MACHINE Joseph S. Thompson, San Francisco, Calif. Application March 16, 1935, serial No. 11,445

Claims. (Cl. 15-50) This invention relates generally to devices or machines for the cleaning of various surfaces, where a washing or cleaning liquid is employed.

It is of particular value where it is desired to4 and claimed in my Letters Patent No. 1,892,792,k

granted January 3, 1932, and ofthe machine disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No.

680,767, filed July 17, 1933, now issued Letters Patent No. 2,011,234, granted August 13, 1935, of which the present specification is a continuation in part.

Objects of the present invention can be briefly summarized as follows:- To afford more effective contact of washing liquid with the nap of a carpet or rug, thus promoting eflicient cleaning and reconditioning; to make possible continued washing of a particular spot while the wheels of the supporting carriage are being driven; and to provide improved driving means and control features which will facilitate manipulation by an operator.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following description in which a desirable embodiment of the invention has been set forth in .detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in transverse cross-section, illustrating one embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a detail in plan, showing particularly the relationship of the control lever in conjunction with an electric motor switch. f

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail showing a portion of the mechanism of Fig. 2 in elevation.

Fig. 4 is a side eleva-tional detail, in cross-section, showing the washing head incorporated with the machine of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the washing head.

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of a portion of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1, showing particularly the drive mechanism.

Fig. '7 is a cross-sectional detail taken along the line l-I of Fig. 1, showing a discharge valve and a control therefor.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail, in cross-section, showing particularly the main axle of the machine.

Fig. 9 is a detail in side elevation showing the Iower end of the main control lever.

In general, the .machine as illustrated consists of a carriage frame III,r which is provided with wheels II, and which serves to support a washing head I2. Associated with the Washing head there is a liquid pump I3, adapted to be driven by an electric motor I4. To afford a convenient supply of washing liquid, the carriage frame IIJ also supports a. suitable liquid tank I6. When the machine is in operation, liquid from tank I6 flows to the washing head I2, where it is brought into contact with the surface being cleaned. After such contact, the liquid is sucked back up through the head I2 by pump I3, and delivered back to the tank I6.

Since lfeatures of the Washing head I2 form a material part of the present invention, this device will be first described in detail. It consists of a main body I8 formed of cast aluminum or like suitable material, in conjunction with a floor-operating plate I9. 'I'he rear side of the body is attached to a conduit r,2li by means of a swivel coupling or journal 2I. By virtue of the journal the entire head I2 may turn freely about a horizontal axis extending substantially in the general direction of movement of the machine, thus enabling the plate I9 to operate fiat upon the oor, irrespective of minor floor variations.

To point out briefly the details of journal 2I yas illustrated, the lower end of the conduit 29 is bored laterally and fitted with a tube or sleeve. One end of the sleeve 22 has a threadedA connection with a rearwardly extending portion f I8a of the body I8. Extending concentrically through sleeve 22 there is a tube 23 of substantially smaller diameter. One end of tube 23 has a threaded connection 24 with body I8, while the other end of the tube extends through a. hollow closure cap 26. An inflow passage 21, for the admission of washing liquid, communicates with the interior of cap 26, and from thence the liquid may flow through ports 28, to the passage 29 formed within tube 23.

The heat I8 is provided with ports or passages for delivering washing liquid from tube 23 to the floor-operating plate I9. Thus the upper portion of body I8 is shown provided with a curved passage 3|, communicating between the interior of tube 23 and the downwardly extending passage 32. The lower end of passage 32 communicates with a recess 33 in the lower face 34 of the body I8. The lower body portion I8b, forming the face 34, may be substantially rectangular', or in any event is of substantial length in a direction lateral with respect to the path of movement of the machine. An electrical heating element 35 may be carried within the body of the head, to conductI heat to liquid fiowing through the passages just described.

Forthe removal of washing liquid from the l uid flow occurs through the passage I9, between sleeve 22 and tube 23, and from thence through an opening 4I in sleeve 22, to the suction passage 42 formed by conduit 20. w

The preferred construction for the floor-operating plate I9 can be best understood by reference to Figs. 4 and 5. The bottom face 43 of this plate is adapted to contact with the carpet or like oor surfacing 44 to be cleaned. Extending intermediate the ends and longitudinal side edges of plate I9 there is a recess 45 formed in the lower surface 43 (Fig. 5). When in contact with the oor surfacing 44, as illustrated in Fig. 4,

this recess is enclosed to form in eii'ect a closed chamber for flow of washing liquid. For the sake of lightness, and in order ,to avoid undue friction in moving over the oor surfacing, the longitudinal side portions of plate I9 may be cut away, as indicated at 46.

The mounting of plate I9 with respect to the body I8 preferably permits limited sliding movement between these parts, so that such movement occurs automatically as the head is moved back and forth over the floor surfacing. Thus, yupstanding flanges 41 are secured to the ends of plate I9, and these flanges slidably engage` suitable tracks formed on the corresponding ends of the body portion I8b. The extent of sliding movement is limited, as by means of a depending pin 49, mounted upon one portion of the body I8, and extending into a slot 5I formed in a lug on plate I9. One limiting position of plate I9, corresponding to the position which it occupies when the washing head is moved to .the right as viewed in Fig. 4, is illustrated in solid lines in this figure. The other limiting position, corresponding to the position occupied when the washing head is moving towards the left, is illustrated in dotted lines.

To produce for the circulation of washing llquid through recess 45, plate I9 is provided with two sets of ports 53 and 54. When the plate I9 occupies the relative position shown in solid lines (Fig. 4), ports 53 communicate with passage 36 for the removal of liquid, while ports 54 communicate with recess 33 for introducing washing liquid. For the dotted line position of plate I9, it is evident that ports 53 will be in communication with recess 33 to admit washing liquid to the recess 45, while on the other hand ports 54 are brought into communication with passage 31 for the removal of washing liquid. Thus, for the two limiting positions of plate I9, the flow of liquid through recess 45 occurs in opposite directions.

I have found that when the machine is operating`over a carpet or rug having a considerable nap, the washing action may not be as effective as desired, unless provision is made for proper flexing and agitation of the nap simultaneously with the washing action. As a desirable nap agitating means, I have shown two sets of vanes 56w-56b and 51a-51b, which can be conveniently formed as spaced ribs integral with the main body of plate I9. While the shaping of these ribs may vary, they have been shown linear, whereby the spaces between the ribs form passages 58a-58b and 59a-59b for flow of washing liq'uid. Ribs 56a and 56h are inclined in opposite directions with respect to the direction of travel, as are also ribs 51a and. 51h, in order to secure effective agitation of the nap. Likewise, there is a staggering of the two sets of ribs, as shown in Fig. 5. With such an arrangement it is evident that when plate I9 is moved over the surface of a carpet, with a fair amount of downward pressure, the nap extending into recess 45 is flexed back and forth yand the individual flbers are repeatedly'separated, to enable the washing liquid to effectively contact all of the individual fibers of the nap. Likewise, it is evident that the flow of washing liquid through recess 45 will occur mainly through the zig-zag paths dened by the interconnecting spaces between the ribs. It is desirable that the lower edges of the ribs terminate coincident with the plane of the lower face 43. If they were extended below face 43, unt due leakage of liquid might occur.

If desired, the machine may be provided with buffer means to avoid injury to baseboards or furniture with which the head may come in contact. Thus, the forward corners of the head are shown provided with rollers 6I formed of suitable resilient material such as soft vulcanized rubber.

The pumping means for withdrawing washing liquid through conduit 20, together with some air which may be admitted into recess 45, can be constructed as illustrated in Fig. 1. Thus, in this instance conduit 20 is formed as a part of housing 62, which is secured to the carriage frame I0. The pump illustrated is of the gear type, having its main operating shaft 63 directly coupled to the shaft of an electric motor I4. The inflow side of the pump is connected to the passage 42 formed by conduit 20, while the outflow side is connected to a pipe 64, which serves to deliverl liquid back to the tank I6.

In order to prevent recirculation of foreign objects of considerable size which may be picked up from the floor during a Washing operation, it is desirable to pass thewashing liquid through a screen before it is returned to the washing head. Thus, as shown in Fig. 1, a screen 66 is carried on the under side of the tank cover 61. An overhanging discharge spout 68 has a swivel connection with the upper end of pipe 64, and can be positioned to discharge liquid through the cover opening 69 upon the screen 66. The tank cover 61, together with the screen 66, can be readily removed at anytime, by rst swinging pipe 68 to an out-of-the-way position.

Flow' of washing liquid from the tank I6 to the washing head I2 is established as follows: 1n the bottom Wall of tank I6 there is an outflow valve 1I, a desirable construction for which will be presently explained. Flow pipe 12 leads from valve 1I and is coupled to the washing head through a hose connection 13, whereby gravity flow of washing liquid may occur into the washing head through passage 21 (Fig. 4).

To provide means whereby the electric motor I4 may also drive the wheels II of the carriage frame I0, the pump shaft 63 is shown extending downwardly into a gear housing 16. The gears carried by housing 16 serve to transmit motion at a reduced speed to shaft 18. As representative .of such gearing, a worm 19 on the lower end of shaft 63 engages a gear 87| carried by the intermediate shaft 82. Rotatable together with gear 8|, there is a worm 83 which engages a gear 84 carried by shaft 18.

As best illustrated in Fig. 6, mounted upon the outer end of shaft 18 there is a bevel gear 66 which is adapted to cooperate with either one of two bevel gears 81 and 88. These latter two gears are mounted upon a hub 89, which in turn is spiined to an intermediate horizontal shaft 9|.

To enable manual shifting of the hub 89, so that either one of the gears 81 and 88 may engage with the bevel gear 86, control means 75 is provided as follows: Convenientlymounted upon the machine, as for example between the motor |4 and the tank |8,.there is a control lever 92. A pivotal mounting for the lever is indicated -tends into an annular groove 98, formed in the intermediate portion of `hub 89. 'I'he upper portion of lever 92 co-operates with a suitable quadrant 99, having lever-positioning notches |02 and |03. As will be presently made clear, when lever 92 is engaged in neutral notch |82, drive from the electric motor to the wheels is interrupted; when the lever engages notch |0|, the drive tothe wheels moves the entire machine backwardly; and when the lever is engaged in notch |03 the machine is driven forwardly.

Instead of affording a direct drive between shaft 9| and the wheels a drive through a suitable automatic clutch is provided. Thus the wheels are mounted upon two separate aligned shafts |04 and |06, which are separately jour- I naled in the sides of the carriage frame I0 (Fig.

8). The inner ends of shafts |04 and |08 may be journaled together, as by having the inner end of shaft |04 bored to receive an extension |01 of reduced diameter -on the inner end of shaft |06. Splined upon the inner ends of these shafts, are the elements 08 and |09 of a jaw type clutch. These elements are normally urged apart, against the abutment collars and I2, by the compression spring ||3. When urged t0- gether, against the compression of spring ||3, it is evident that shafts |04 and |86 are connected together to operate in unison.

To enable a selective shifting of clutch elements |08 and |09, responsive to operation of the control lever 92, two levers |4 and ||8 are provided (Fig. 6). These levers are pivotally secured to a supporting bracket ||8, and the ends of the levers adjacent the corresponding clutch elements |08 and 09 are provided with forks ||8 and |2| for engaging the grooves |22 and |23 of the clutch elements. The pivotal connections between the levers ||4 and ||6 with bracket III f preferably permit a certain amount of lost motion, as by having the pivot pins for the levers extending through slots |24 formed in the bracket. A tension spring |26 connects directly between the two levers.

Mounted upon the lowerend of the manual control lever 92, and adjacent the off-set portion 96, there is a plate |21. 'I'his plate extends downwardly between the adjacent ends of levers ||4 and ||8 (Fig. r9), and at its lower extremity is provided with spaced lugs 28 and |29. Thus, when the control lever 92 is in the position represented by notch |02, plate |21 occupies the 'positions illustrated in Figs. 6 and 9, and the clutch elements |88 and |09 are disengaged. When lever 92 is shifted to the position represented by notch i3, bevel gear 81 is brought into engagement with gear 86, and at the same time shifting of plate |21 actuates lever ||4 to slide clutch element |08 into engagement with element |09. Similarly, when the control lever 92 is shifted to a position corresponding to notch |0I, gears 86 and 88 are brought into engagement, and lever |6 is shifted to bring clutch element |09 into engagement with element |08.

For transmitting motion to the wheels from shaft 9|, positive drive means is provided to one oi the shafts |04 or |06. Thus, mounted upon `operating plunger |4 the shafts 9|` and |04 are the sprockets |3| and |32, connected by the drive chain |33.

With the arrangement described above, it is evident that for a position of lever 92 corresponding to notch |03, gears 88 and 88 will be brought into mesh and clutch elements 08 and |08v are engaged to drive the machine forwardly. Likewise, when the clutch lever is shifted to the position represented by notch |0|, both of the wheels will be driven to propel the vvehicle rearwardly. In the event the jaws of clutch elements |08 and |09 are so positioned that they can not immediately engage when clutch lever 92 is shifted, the give afforded by tension spring |29 and slots |24 permits immediate engagement of 1 one of the bevel gears 81 and 88 with gear 486, folbe also controlled by movements of the lever 92,

so that when this lever is in neutral position, represented by notch 02, the valve is closed, while in either reverse or forward position the valve is open for delivery of washing liquid. As rrepresentative of a suitable valve and operating mecha- I nism of this character, the valve itself is shown provided with a vertically movable valve member |31 of the poppet type. The sliding stem |38 for the valve member |31 is urged towards closed position by `spring |39. Extending upwardly through the external part of the valve body, and in alignment with the stem |38, there is an The body of the valve is formed of two interfitting and separable parts |40a and |40b, part |40a being carried by the tank I8, and part |40b being carried by the carriage frame.

To provide exterior operating means for the plunger |4|, a bracket |42 serves to pivotally support a two-lobed cam |43. The exterior end of plunger |4| rests upon the surface of this cam, so that when the cam is in the Ineutral position illustrated in Fig.. 7, valve member |31 is in closed po. sition. However, when the cam is swung either to the left or to the right from the neutral position shown, plunger |4| is lifted, to open valve member |31.

As shown in Fig. 6, mounted beneath the levers ||4 and ||8, there is a lever |44. Intermediate the ends of this lever there is a pivotal connection |48 to bracket ||8. One end of the lever 'extends between the lugs |28 and |29, while the other end is connected to the cam |43 by a link |41. Universal swivel connectors |48 and |49, to the ends of link |41, are desirable.

With the arrangement as described, when lever 92 is in a neutral position,.cam |43 is` likewise in a neutral position, so that valve |31 is closed. However, when lever 92 is moved to either forward or reverse position, cam |43 is moved to open the valve member |31 and effect flow of washing liquid to the washing head |2.

It is desirable to provide means whereby the energizing circuit to the motor |4 is automatically closed when the lever 92 is thrown to either for- ,enable swinging movement kof the yoke in a vertical direction. The transverse bar |56 of the yoke, which underlies the notched quadrant Il, is provided with an upper cam face |6I. A pin |62 mounted upon control lever 5,2 is arranged to engage the cam surface I6 I, and the character of this surface issuch that when lever 62 is in neutral position, the switch |52 may be opened by compression of button |54, with the button |58 retaining the yoke in an elevated position. When the lever 92 is shifted from a neutral position to either forward or reverse position, the starting button |53 is automatically depressed by downward movement of yoke |51, to start the motor before engagement of the drive to the wheels. While the lever 92 is in either forward or reverse position, depression of button |53 .makes it impossible for an operator to stop the motor by depressing button |54. Thus to stop the motor it is necessary to first move the control lever 92 to neutral position.

At times it is desirable to retain the machine stationary while continuing a washing operation upon a particular spot. To enable such operation, I provide means, operated manually as by means of a foot pedal, to elevate the wheels from the floor, thus permitting the wheels to revolve without movement of the machine. Thus, referring to Figs. 1 and 6, I provide a pair of floor contacting levers |66, which are lsecured at spaced points to a horizontal shaft |61. Likewise secured to shaft |6'| there is a foot lever |68, the outer end of which projects beyond the rear end of the carriage frame, in position for convenient depression of the foot of the operator. A tension spring |69 serves to ordinarily urge the levers |66 towards a raised position out of contact with the floor. When the foot lever |68 is depressed by the foot of the operator, levers |66 are swung downwardly into contact with the floor, to elevate the carriage and to lift the wheels Il clear of the floor. washing head I2 remains in contact with the iioor, so that a washing operation on a particular spot may proceed while the machine remains stationary. Likewise, the driving mechanism is relieved to facilitate shifting or releasing of the gears.

It is evident that the machine described above has many desirable features. In addition to the fact that the washing head I2 will eect efiicient washing of the'carpet, with continued agitation of the nap while the machine is in movement, the manner in which the machine is controlled by movements of lever 92 makes the machine relatively fool-proof, as well as enabling use by relatively unskilled operators. If it is desired to secure prolonged washing of one particular spot of the carpet, traversing movement of the machine is arrested by depression of foot lever |66, without stopping the electric motor or the liquid, pump. When the machine is not in operation, it can be readily wheeled about or maneuvered to any particular locality or position, due to the fact that the two wheels may revolve independently of each other.

I claim: v

1. In a machine of the character described, a member having a substantially flat face interrupted by a recess, whereby when said face is contacted with a carpet or like surface to be cleaned a confined chamber is defined by the re- While in this position the cess and said surface, means for circulating a washing or cleaning liquid through the chamber thus formed, the member having spaced ports for the iiow of liquid into and from said chamrupted by a recess, whereby when said face is contacted with a carpet or like surface to be cleaned a confined chamber is defined by the recess and said surface, means for circulating a washing or cleaning liquid through the chamber thus formed. the member having spaced ports for the flow of liquid into and from said chamber, and a plurality of liquid flow directing and nap agitating vanes disposed in said recess, the positioning of said vanes being between the points of communication of said ports with said recess.

3. In a machine of the character described, a member having a substantially at lower` face interrupted by a recess, whereby when said face is contacted with a carpet or like surface to be cleaned a confined chamber is defined by the recess and said surface, means for circulating a washing or cleaning liquid through the chamber thus formed, the member having spaced ports for the flow of liquid into and from said chamber, and a plurality of spaced liquid flow directing and nap agitating vanesY disposed in said recess, said vanes being disposed in that portion of the recess which is between the points of communication with said ports, the lower edges of said vanes being substantially contiguous with the plane of said lower flat face.

4. In a machine of the character described, a member having a substantially fiat lower face interrupted by a recess, whereby when said face is contacted with a carpet or like surface to be cleaned a confined chamber is defined by the recess and said surface, means for moving said member over said surface along a given path, means for circulating a washing or cleaning liquid through the chamber thus formed, the member having spaced ports for the flow of liquid into and from said chamber, and a plurality of spaced nap agitating ribs disposed in said recess, the spacesv between said ribs defining passages for flow of liquid between said ports, said ribs extending at an angle with respect to said path of K movement.

5. In a machine of the character described, a member having a substantially fiat lower face interrupted by a recess, whereby when said face is contacted with a carpet or like surface to be cleaned a confined chamber is defined by the recess and said surface, means for circulating a washing or cleaning liquid through the chamber thus formed, the member having spaced ports for the flow of liquid into and from said chamber, means for moving said member along a given path over the surface to be washed,'and two sets of spaced nap agitating ribs disposed in said recess, the ribs in the recess being inclined in opposite directions with respect to said path of movement, the spaces between said ribs defining passages for flow of liquid between said ports, and the lower edges of said ribs being substantially contiguous with the plane of said lower fiat face.

JOSEPH S. THOMPSON. 

